Conventional automobiles use cameras to provide a driver with a view of an inconvenient location. Some conventional systems use cameras as an aid to a driver when backing up a car. Such cameras are sometimes mounted on a bumper to provide a view from the back of the vehicle. A screen to view images from such a camera is normally placed on a dashboard of the automobile. Such a system normally only shows the camera angle when the automobile is in reverse.
Minimizing driver distractions is important when integrating modern electronics into an automobile. If more than one camera is implemented, a conventional approach needs input from the user to select an appropriate camera view. For example, a driver manually selects either a back view or a side view. Manually switching between the views may distract a driver, which would be less than optimal when performing maneuvers such as parallel parking.
It would be desirable to implement a surround camera system that dynamically selects an appropriate camera view without input from a driver.